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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27156034">Determination</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeltedIceAngel/pseuds/MeltedIceAngel'>MeltedIceAngel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Code Lyoko, Code Lyoko Evolution</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aftermath of Violence, Blood, Comfort/Angst, Crying, Fear of Death, Fights, Fist Fights, Happy Ending, Major Character Injury, More last second saves, Not-Canon Typical Violence, Possession, Stabbing, Violence, fear of loneliness, just like every real episode, no one dies, not today satan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:21:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27156034</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeltedIceAngel/pseuds/MeltedIceAngel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Odd was desperate; fighting for a life he was unsure how much longer he would have. The person was faster than any martial artist, any master knife wielder. If Odd hadn’t known who possessed the person’s body, Odd would think he was fighting a demon. </p><p>Or; Odd realizes that the only thing Xana's monsters had been lacking is intelligent thought. The only time he is up against a foe that can not only think, but is capable and very proficient at adapting with their situation, he finds himself with one option; beg for his life.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jeremie Belpois &amp; Odd Della Robbia, Odd Della Robbia &amp; Ulrich Stern</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Determination</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Round two of making Code Lyoko into that R rated young adult novel no one actually asked for. Hope you all enjoy regardless!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Odd was desperate; fighting for a life he was unsure how much longer he would have. The person was faster than any martial artist, any master knife wielder. If Odd hadn’t known who possessed the person’s body, Odd would think he was fighting a demon. </p><p>Relying on the four months of Taekwondo he’d taken and his fifteen years of dance and gymnastics weren’t really the best counter to the possessed human, but it was more than what most others would have to work with. He was tiring a lot less quickly than someone else may have, and he could contort his body to avoid attacks that even Yumi would’ve struggled with. </p><p>He growled as a knife slashed near his left ear, only dodging it by a quarter of an inch. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to lose a body part or two. Return trip or not, he was sure the memory of a sliced off ear or finger wouldn’t be something that would be so easily removed. </p><p>“That all you got? My grandma could aim better than you,” Odd jested, slamming himself to the ground as the knife whooshed over his head. It was a total lie; Odd’s grandmother couldn’t even use a spoon by herself anymore, let alone expertly wield a weapon. Although, in her prime, she had been quite the formidable opponent... </p><p>...in poker, but no one had to know. </p><p>When the knife sliced into the Earth where his hand had once been, Odd realized he really needed to learn to shut his mouth sometimes. Ulrich had so <em>gently </em>suggested this about fifteen times a day, but Odd had always just waved him off and continued to babble on about why talking was so imperative to his mental and physical health.</p><p>Odd just barely managed to avoid another swipe aimed directly for his neck. He seriously needed to shut himself up. Even his mental voice was only moments away from getting him killed. </p><p>“I have to say, you are the most terrifying thing Xana has ever managed to create. Usually, I can outrun them, at least! Or, well, they just kinda sucked at striking their target,” Odd said, once again having to collapse to the floor as wood chips flew with the impact of the wielded weapon. Odd took only a second to stare up at the tree he had been in front of, his eyes widening as the crack gave way, and the tree <em>fell. </em>“Holy shit! Okay, you win!”</p><p>Odd bolted. Screw distraction; that thing was far above his pay grade. After this, he may even ask Jeremy to really pay him for his services. It seriously was hard work being cannon fodder for the group once he inevitably was devirtualized. Wasn’t it someone else’s turn? Ulrich hadn’t had to go out and distract possessed people in months!</p><p>Although Ulrich hadn’t been devirtualized early in months, either...He stopped himself. He was<em> trying </em>to feel bad for himself. </p><p>Odd just ran. He ran until his lungs hurt, and his throat was dry. His legs were screaming, arms heavy, and falling at his sides. He couldn’t stop. He could hear the possessed <em>thing </em>running behind him, and if he stopped for even a second, the lead he’d gained would be gone, and he’d be back to dodging blows that only luck could account for. </p><p>Where was he supposed to go? He couldn’t go back to the school; even if the thing wanted him and only him, there was too much potential for the students or teachers to get caught in the middle. </p><p>It didn’t stop Odd from wishing he could. </p><p>Jim would’ve helped him. No matter how much the student body joked about Jim’s fanciful storytelling, there was still always the chance that he was telling the truth. Odd was sure he’d heard something about Jim being locked in a knife fight in Kuwait while trying to order breakfast from a street vendor once. He might have tricks for avoiding the slashes, and if he did get hit, he might have known the best ways to stop the bleeding. </p><p>Odd nearly tripped, and that lost him his lead instantly. The blade whipped down on his left, slicing through Odd’s shoulder. He screamed, grabbing at the wound but still not stopping. He was amazed; the thing hadn’t cut his arm clean off. He must have unknowingly dodged at just the right time. </p><p>He wasn’t armless, but the pain was unreal. It felt like someone had taken a molten hot pile of glass and settled it in the crook between his neck and shoulder. Fuck, he didn’t know where the actual wound was, but maybe the creature had been closer to taking his <em>head </em>off than his arm. </p><p>Odd felt a fist collide with his face as soon as he rounded the corner to leave the school grounds. He fell with a groan, his head connecting with the concrete just as a knife threateningly tinged off the floor beside his head. Odd rolled, trying to ignore how his body throbbed with overexertion. Who cared about pulled muscles when there were now<em> two </em>possessed creatures looming over him?</p><p>“He’s fast,” The female one said, and Odd grinned up at her. He wanted to say something snarky in reply, but he had no faith in her ability to take a joke. If anything, his sentence would probably finish off with a knife in his throat. </p><p>“Weak,” The male one said, his eyes flashing with the sigil of Xana. </p><p>“Yes, the weak link. Always the first to go,” The female said, pretending to trace her knife over the curve of Odd’s neck. He swallowed, closing his eyes and praying that the others had made it to the tower. When time egged on and nothing changed, Odd kicked out with the last of his strength, dislodging the weapon from the woman’s hands. </p><p>She seemed startled as it fell to the floor, and Odd grabbed it and took off. He could hear the sound of them chasing after him, but to his knowledge, he had their only weapon clutched in his hand and he wasn’t letting go for anything. </p><p>His hand began to burn as he rounded another corner, and taking a glance at the item showed what appeared to be glowing letters of a language he had never seen. It almost looked like something out of a game he’d once played, something called an inscription. A rune? </p><p>He never got his answer. The words continued to heat up until they had burned themselves into Odd’s hand, and he was forced to drop it. He didn’t stop; the woman was sure to have picked up the knife and was simply biding her time until Odd’s body failed him again. Xana made his creatures without exhaustive limits, it seemed. </p><p>To Odd’s utter dismay, he had run himself right into a corner. There was nowhere left to go but up, and he was sure that he did not have enough arm strength or stamina left in him to outrun the woman on a <em>ladder. </em>Instead, he turned around and took the full blow of a punch to the gut. He stumbled but stayed standing. If this was it, he wasn’t going without fighting. He had gone through too much to lay down and die. </p><p>Odd caught the male’s fist in both hands and pushed, knocking the man off his feet. Human strength; Odd may have just won. He threw himself at the man, kicking and punching and being as ruthless as his body and mind would allow. He could not die. He didn’t <em>want </em>to die. He channeled his fear and anger into kicks that blew the man off his feet and punches that bruised instantly.</p><p>Just as the man looked to have given up, Odd was turned forcefully around to face the woman. Odd felt a punch in the gut that threw him back a few steps. The woman was smirking, her hand still below Odd’s eye line. He looked down shakily just as the burning began and saw the knife embedded in his abdomen. </p><p>The woman ripped the knife from him, blood splattering the green grass from both the wound and all that spat from his mouth. He fell to his knees, staring at the woman’s softly flowing coat in the breeze. She didn’t do anything as Odd crumbled to the ground, more and more blood seeping into the dirt below the wound. </p><p>“One,” The female said, wiping the knife off and turning to walk away. The male spat on Odd’s face as he turned to follow. </p><p>Odd was shaking, but he didn’t feel more than a throbbing heat in his abdomen. He pulled his hand up and covered the spot, vomiting both food and blood.</p><p>Having no other desire than to use what was left of his strength to fish his phone out of his pocket, Odd did just that. He sobbed as the pain really began to set in, and the knowledge that he was dying hit even harder. He pulled his phone up to his face, blood and chunks of <em> something  </em>coating the surface. He dialed the first number on his speed dial and brought the phone to his ear.</p><p>It rang for too long. Odd was beginning to feel himself slip, and all he wanted was to hear their voices. Even if they couldn’t make it to him in time, he wanted to say something. He knew he wouldn’t say goodbye. He wanted to ask for help because he still hadn’t given up even with the knowledge that he was running out of time. </p><p>“Hello?” Jeremy was the one to answer, and even if Odd knew that it should have been Ulrich, he still sniffled and let out a satisfied sob. “Odd?”</p><p>“Jeremy,” Odd whispered. He coughed, expelling more of his precious life force onto the ground. </p><p>“Where are you?” Jeremy sounded frantic. As if he already knew how dire the situation was. </p><p>“I don’t know,” Odd said, and it was true. He had no idea how many turns he had taken to get to this part of the campus. He didn’t recognize it at all. </p><p>“Tell me what you see. What’s around you?” Jeremy asked, and Odd tried everything to look farther than his direct eye line. </p><p>“I can see the soccer fields,” Odd said, honing in on the one familiar detail about the area. Jeremy went silent for a moment, and Odd started to fade out, but then Jeremy’s voice was back, and he sounded only a tad calmer than before. </p><p>“Are you hurt?” Jeremy asked, even though Odd was sure he knew the answer.</p><p>“Please hurry,” Odd said, coughing violently into the phone. He vomited again, and Jeremy let out an uncharacteristic sob at the sound.</p><p>“We don’t have time! Odd’s <em>dying</em>; I can hear it in his voice. I called an ambulance, but I don’t know if they’ll make it,” Jeremy said, clearly not to Odd, but the thought of the others still being alive and kicking made something settle in Odd’s heart. “Odd, can you tell me what happened? If it’s too hard, don’t bother. Don’t waste your energy.”</p><p>Odd pulled in as deep of a breath as he could manage. “The woman had a special knife. She was too fast.” </p><p>“Holy shit, you got <em>stabbed?" </em>Jeremy sounded close to losing his mind. Odd wanted to calm him, but he wanted him to hurry more. </p><p>“I can’t die yet,” Odd pleaded for his life, hoping that if he said how much he wanted to live, that the universe would hear him, and he would wake up on the other side of this. </p><p>“Aelita’s in the tower. Please, Odd. Hold on,” Jeremy said. Odd dropped the phone, unable to hold his hand up anymore. Aelita was in the tower; he could relax. “Odd? Odd! Don’t go to sleep! Hey!”</p><p>Odd didn’t respond. He couldn’t if he wanted to. His vision slowly blurred before blacking out entirely. He was still awake, he could hear the faint sound of screaming in the distance, but there was nothing he could do about it. </p><p>Just as Odd’s consciousness slipped away from him, a bright light enveloped the area, stopping the distressed gym and science teachers of Kadic Academy from making it to their student in time. </p><p> </p><p>Odd sucked in a breath as he shot up in his bed. Holy shit. He was <em>alive.</em></p><p>He felt around his abdomen for any sign of the stab wound, and finding nothing, he grabbed at his shoulder and did the same. Nothing. No pain, no pulling, no throbbing; nothing. It was over. He survived. </p><p>Odd looked over at Ulrich, wanting to wake him up but knowing that he would need the sleep to face the next day. Had Ulrich known what was happening? Odd hadn’t heard what was being said over the live feed with those on Lyoko. All he knew was that Jeremy had yelled about time running out, and then Jeremy was yelling at <em> him,  </em>begging him to not fall asleep. </p><p>Yeah, screw that. It was eleven in the evening, and he was not letting that last scream haunt him. </p><p>Instead, Odd laid himself back down, covering himself with his blanket and really snuggling up with his pillows. He would never forget how it felt as his body slowly lost all of the necessary functions for him to keep living. There was still a phantom pain in his abdomen, fake yet so real, and it made the quest for optimal comfort that much more important.</p><p>He closed his eyes and tried to drift off, only to open them back up instantly. He could still see her. The excited, fulfilling look she gave Odd as he crumbled and bled out at her feet. </p><p>“Odd,” Ulrich whispered, and it sounded both so broken and so put together all at once. Odd didn’t say anything. “Just come here.” </p><p>It wasn’t much of a fight to get himself out of bed. He brought his blanket with him, not wanting Ulrich to complain about how he took up too much blanket all throughout breakfast the next day. He settled himself down next to his friend, and when the hair tie holding the top half of his hair up became too uncomfortable, he ripped it out and threw it somewhere across the room. </p><p>“I’m here,” Ulrich said, fixing Odd’s hair, so it better fell flat against the pillow. It had taken Ulrich so long to get used to the non-Lyoko style. It almost made Odd’s chest constrict. He had just taken the time to really change up his appearance and present himself as an adult rather than a junior high school kid. He almost <em>died </em>before anyone had the chance to get used to it. </p><p>That would’ve sucked ass. All that time and money for a month of softly whispered, <em>who in the world is </em>that?</p><p>“Thank you,” Odd said, deciding his vanity would be better suited once he’d worked through the traumatic images flashing through his mind. He sighed, and without any hesitation, he laid his head on Ulrich’s chest. </p><p>Even if Odd didn’t get any sleep and he couldn’t find his hair tie the next morning, at least Ulrich had been there through it with him. He realized that while dying had been scary, it hadn’t been the most frightening part. It was being alone that had terrified him the most.</p><p>Walking into breakfast, with four sets of teary, bloodshot eyes staring back at him, he breathed a little easier. At least he knew that he had friends who would fight to make sure it never happened again. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>https://www.buymeacoffee.com/meltediceangel (helps pay for medical school)</p><p>I know that the original show had some pretty dire situations, but I really like the idea of someone literally two heartbeats away from death as Jeremy hits the button. Whump/angst is just something I never get to write, and I'm not very good at it, but this was a good way to practice. Now that Code Lyoko is on Netflix, I'm hoping more people come to the fandom to write and share their own plot bunnies for the show. Even if they're not all deep, dark, and depressing, I still really enjoy reading for this fandom.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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